Improvement in mowers



4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

W. P. GOODWIN.

Mowers. No. 198,604. Patented Dec. 25,1877.

UNITED lSiA-'ins PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM F. GOODWIN, OF STELTON, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO EDWARD' F. ROBERTS, OF NEW BRUN SWIOK, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN MOWERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 198,604, dated December 25, 1877; application tiled Marchv 27, 1877.

' To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WM. FARB GOODWIN, of Stelton, in the county of Middlesex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Harvesters; and I do hereby declare that the following isa full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this speciiication.

Figure 1 is a perspective view, the seat and tongue frame having been removed. Fig. 2 is a side view, partly in section, taken from the inner or cutter-bar side of the machine, the driving-wheels having been taken oil. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through the main axle, showing part of one driving-wheel. Fi g. 4 is a transverse vertical section on line a: of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 isa vertical transverse section on line y y, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse section of the seat-spring on line z -z, Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a detached view of the tongue and seat support or frame. Fig. Sis a side elevation of the devices for locking the driving-wheels with the main axle and disengaging the same, part of the wheel having beenV broken away. Fig. 9 is a detached view of part of the locking devices. Fig. 10'is a horizontal section of a portion of the main axle and part of these locking devices, and Fig. 11 shows an elevation of the pitman or link which connects the bifurcated lever with the cutter-bar. Figs. l2 and 13 show a modiiiction of the selfadjusting bearing for the ax e.

In the drawings, A A are the driving-wheels, mounted loosely upon the main axle A', the rim of each wheel having an internal ratchet, a.

The main frame consists of a drooping front part, B, connected by an open or skeleton central portion with a tubular part, Bl B2, which is mounted upon the main axle A'. The front part is provided with an upwardly-projecting standard, b, which carries the leading-wheel, and also supports the front side of the ngerbar frame, as will be explained.

A second upwardly -projecting ratcheted standard, b, carries a lifting-lever, which tilts the cutter-bar frame or shoe. A horizontallyprojecting arm, b2, supports one end of a rockshaft, and constitutes a track to support or partially support the sleeve of the reciprocating-screw.

Each driving-wheel is locked to the main axle by means of certain devices. (Shown more plainly in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, to which iigures attention is now more especially directed.)

O is an arm, formed in one piece with a hub or short sleeve, C', keyed to the axle A'. c is a pawl pivoted to the outer end of the arm C, and engaging with the teeth of ratchet a when 'not withdrawn thereom. D all is a trippinglink, having a segment, D', at its lower end, and having its upper end attached to pawl c. rIhe upper end of this link has a ri ght-an gled shank, d1, (see Fig. 3,) which enters and travels in a slot, c1, (see Figs. 3 and 8,) in the arm O, the part d being also in this slot. The lower or inner end of part d is screw-threaded, and screws into the shank d1, whereby the length of the arm is made adjustable. The segment D projects from the arm, forming a flange. (See Fig. 3.)

E E' (see Fig. 9) are yokes, each provided at one end with an eye or bearing, e", adapted to clasp one wrist of a double crank, F F', Fig. 10, there being one of these double cranks on each end oi' a rock shaft, G, which is mounted in suitable bearings on the main frame of the machine.

The eyes or bearings e* may be secured to the cranks by means of pins f, (see Fig. 8,) or by being slitted, as shown in Fig. 9, when the slitted parts may be clasped around the wrists of the cranks.

The inner ends of the yokes are forked or hooked, so that they shall straddle the sleeve O', as indicated in dotted lines in Figs. 8 and 9, lateral play of the yokes upon the sleeve being prevented by the collars c2 c3.

Thus it will be seen that from this construction the inner end or rear end of each yoke is supported independently upon the sleeve, and that each yoke is made of a single piece of metal, and may be removed independently of the other one.

e e are dogs projecting from the face of yoke E, and c' e are similar dogs upon the face of yoke E'.

In Fig. 9 it is indicated that the dogs e e occupy a position upon one side of sleeve C', dogs e' e' being upon the opposite side of the sleeve.

Dogs c e are longer than dogs e' e', so that when the parts are in working position, as in Fig. 10, the ends of all of the dogs are in the same vertical plane with the segment D', and when the devices are in this position-that is, with the dogs removed as far as possible from the sleeve C'-the link D d is thrust outward from the sleeve by the spring d2, and the pawl c engages with the ratchet a, thus locking the drive-wheel to the main axle, the segment reolvin g freely without contact with the spread ogs.

When, however, the position of the cranks F F' is reversed the dogs are drawn toward the sleeve C' and made to engage with the segment D'z forcing it inward upon the sleeve and withdrawing the pawl from the ratchet, as in Fig. 3, thus permitting the drive-wheel to revolve without rotating the main axle.

The operator can move the rock-shaft and double cranks by means of the weighted lever YGr'. (See Fig. 1.)

As the construction and operation of the reciprocating screw represented by L L1 K, Figs. 1 and 3, are fully explained in my Patent No. 176,402, I will not describe them in detail, except so far as may be necessary to point out the scope of my present invention.

The nut L Ll is firmly attached to the main axle A', and rotates with it. The helicoidal part K is provided with a sleeve, K', which projects through the part L of the nut, and has a flange, M rigidly secured to its end.

The part L ci the nut-section is expanded horizontally near its center, and formed into a flaring oil receiver or drip, as shown atl, Fig. 3, to catch the oil which may fall from the upper part of that section, and convey it (the oil) to the lower part of the nut, as otherwise a portion of such oil would be likely to flow outwardly upon the sleeve of K' or the helicoid K.

The part Ll of the nut is expanded centrally into a sleeve, LZ, which serves as a bearing for one of the drlving-wheels, and is provided with two ribs, l' l2, which ribs serve to conne in proper working position the devices which lock that wheel to the sleeve L2, the axle A', and the nut.

Flange M has trunnions m m at upper and lower side, and an arm, M', extending forward. The front end of arm M' is curved to pass under rock-shaft Gr, and is provided with a recess, m1, in which is placed an anti-friction roller or ball, m2(see Fig. 2,) which rests upon and traverses the track b2 of the main frame.

N Nx is a bifurcated lever, carrying at its' lower end a wrist-pin, u. This lever may be made of two comparatively thin pieces of metal.

at a point just in rear of the bul'er-guard, and formed into a transverse plate, al, which projects horizontally a short distance each side of the bar, and rests upon an anti-friction ball or roller, n2, which rolls in a seat or recess, B3, formed for its reception in the main frame.

'n.3 n3 are socket bearings or bushings interposed between the trunnions 'm fm and the bifurcated lever, the upper bushing having an oil-hole, as shown in Fig. 2'; andsshould there be any wearing away of these parts, new and properly-sized bushing can be easily put in, or these bushings may be turned around to present new wearing-faces. O 0 is a tubular standard, adjustably secured to the frame of the machine by means of bolts which pass through the frame, and through slots o in the central angular plate Ol of the standard, one of the bolts and slots being shown in Fig. 2. Oz is a round shaft or pivot supported in the tubular standard, which is located immediately in rear of the flange M. The projecting ends of the pivot are squared, and enter rectangular slots n4 in the rear ends of lever N N x, the lever being further securedto the shaft by means of nuts o.

When desired bearing-blocks, as shown at o2 in my Patent No. 176,402, maybe employed in these slots; but they will not ordinarily be needed, because the friction balls or rollers mz 'n2 will support the weight of the front end of the lever and the downward thrust upon it which would otherwise result from the forward rotary motion of the nut L Ll and the axle, and the consequent 'iction upon the helicoid K and sleeve K'.

From the above description it will be seen that when the pawl c is engaged with the ratchet a, as shown in Fig. 1, aforward movement of the machine produces a rotary movenient of the nut-section L Ll in the same direction as that of the driving-wheels, and will produce a reciprocating movement of the' parts K K' and iiange M, and a vibratory inotion of lever N Nx about the pivot Oz as a center, which motion is imparted to the cutter-bar P through the pitman P', and that the throw or traverse ofthe cutter can be increased beyond that produced under the adjustment of parts shown in the drawings by moving the pivot Oz and its support O O nearer to the ilange M, thus shortening that part of the lever between its fulcrum (the pivot O2) and its power, (the trunnions m m,) and in case bearing-blocks are used in slots n, a thickness equal to the advance of the pivot should be taken from the blocks in front of the pivot and placed behind the pivot.

As the lower portion of the space within the nut L Ll can be lled with oil, these parts (the screw) will run with but little friction.

Near the lower end of lever NN x, I arrange two bu'ers, n" a5, preferably of rubber, against each of which the guard N' alternately strikes, thus materially assisting the screw and nut at each end of the throw of the lever.

The shank n ofthewristfpin is screw-threaded, and engages with a female thread cut in the lower half of the lever N N". The pin is screwed into this female thread until the shoulder p4 bears upon the `upper part Nk of the lever. A nut, p5, is'screwed tightly upon the lower projecting end of the pin, and serves as a jam-nut,.to secure the pin rmly in place, thus dispensing with one nut. s

The pitman P' (see Fig. 11) is provided at each end with a spherical socket, to receive the round heads of the wrist-pins, and is divided longitudinally, as shown, the two parts being adjustably secured to each other by means of bolts p and nuts pl. The-annular position of the ends of the pitman relative to the central partsl insures a continuous surface in the sockets to receive the stems of the wristpins.

Each nut has upon its upper surface a number of notches or slits, p2, and each bolt has a '.hole, p3, through it, in order that when the pitman has been properly adjusted 4upon the wrist-pins the nuts can be locked to the bolts by means of wires p4, as shown.

With exceptions to be hereinafter stated, the

'cutter-frames S1 S2, its supporting devices, its

tilting-lever or iinger-bar lever, andthe liftinglever V and its locking devices, and the leadin g-wheel R and Vits supports, are substantiallyr the same in construction 'and-operation as the corresponding parts in my Patent No.'l76,402, and need not now be specifically described.

As shown in Fig. 2, the finger-bar is supported in the cutter frame or shoe at an angle V to the plane of thecutter-sections and the slots in the n gers through which the cutters vibrate.

It will `be seen-from an examination of this figure that the rear edge of the nger-bar is much lower or nearer the ground than the front edge is, the result of this construction being that the cut grass passes much more `readily from the cutting apparatus than it would if this finger-bar were level; and a further, and perhaps more important, result is, that when the fingers are tilted forward or downward to cut close to the ground, or to pick up down or tangled grass, the rear edge of the finger-bar will not rise above the level of its front edge, as is customary in other machines.

I have found, that in practice an upwardlyinclined position of the rear edge of the fingerbar interferes VAmaterially with a proper delivery of the cut grass, which objection is entirely overcome by .my construction.

1 which the pin 's slides, is provided at the lower endwith a shoulder', b5, the pin s having a lug,

` Lat its forward upper end, -and as the guardfingers are tilted or rocked downward the lug fs strikes the shoulder, and thereby prevents further depression of the points of the guard- -nger or other f displacement of parts. Thus the open-bottomed groove b4 permits' the pins and the points of the guard-ngers to fallmuch lower than they could were the lower end of the groove closed, whilethelugs/ and shoulder b5 prevent such parts from` dropping too far.

U U1 is the tongue and seat frame or draftframe. U2 is the tongue. The arms Ul of the draft-frame, which extend rearward, are each provided with outwardly-extending lugs or pivots u u1, which enter holes u2, formed for their reception in brackets B3. projectingrearward from the main frame of the machine, and by preference cast in one piece with said frame.

B4 is a locking-latch, pivoted to one of the arms or brackets B3, and provided upon its under side with a series of notches, a3, corresponding, substantially, in position to the series of holes u2 in the bracket to which it is pivoted.

The distance between the brackets is as much greater than the distance from outside to outside of the arms U1 as will permit the latch Bf1 to be shut down into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 7.

In order to remove the tongue-frame from the `main frame, the latch is thrown forward, as in dotted lines, the frame moved over toward the bracket which has the latch attached far enough to permit pivot u to slip out of its Vseat or hole, when pivot ul can be removed from its seat, this pivot u1 being much longer than pivot u is, to permit the desired movement.

, By adjusting the tongue and seat frame in these holes in the brackets the weight of the driver maybe made to properly counterbalance the weight of the main frame, or overcome partially the downward thrust upon the leading-wheel, as will be readily understood without 'further explanation.

W is a draft-rod, connecting the whiiietree with a lug, fw, projecting downward from the main frame at a point nearly perpendicular of the drivers seat.

. It will be readily understood that the elasticity of the S-shaped seat-spring allows sufficientrising and falling and forward and backward motion, even though the lower end of said spring be bolted rigidly to the tongue or draft frame; and it will also be seen that by my plan of supporting this spring upon the narrow edge of the rib x3, in combination with the side springs .r' x, the seat has a free.(with. in certain limits) lateral rocking motion upon the edgeof the rib w3 as a center.

Y is a drivers guard, rising from the tongue or the tongue-frame, as may be most convenient, to prevent the driver from being thrown .form and size of such seats.

With a view to reduce the friction of the main frame upon the main axle, l have divided the rear tubular portion of said main frame i horizontally into two parts, BI B2, and have formed internal chambers bx near each end of this tubular part. Within each of these chambers I place a ring, bx x, and within this ring I arrange a sufficient number of anti-friction rollers, bx x to form a suitable bearing, commonly called a cage, for the main axle.

In order that the rings shall be self-adjusting to their inclosng-chambers, I make the outer surface of each to represent a sphere with a sector cut from each side, the center of the sphere being the center of the axle, at a point about equidistant from both ends of the rollers.

When preferred, the cage may be dispensed with, and the rings made of such internal diameter as to fit the main axle. In either construction the rings may be cast upon chillmandrels or bored.

It is obvious that these rings, owing to their external form, will be self -adjusting within their chambers, and that by loosening the nuts which bind the two parts of the parts Bl B2 together the rings may be turned around within their chambers, or the rings may be made sufficiently loose to adjust themselves (see Figs. 12 and 13) should wear of parts render this desirable.

Oil-holes may be made in these chambers, and oil will be taken up from the lower portion of the chambers and applied to the axle and ring by the rollers.

Z Z', Figs. 3 and 5, represent, respectively, the upper and lower shells of a somewhat larger chamber formed in the tubular part of the main frame. z is a collar or ange firmly attached to and revolving with the main axle A'. z z are two followers fitting loosely upon the axle. They are oblong or rectangular in form, and are prevented from revolving with the axle by means of ribs z2 z2 on the inside of the chamber, with which the ends of the followers engage.

z3 z3 are keys or wedges, the legs of which pass down -upon each side of the axle. 24 e4 are shoulders or abutments cast upon the inside of the chamber, preferably in an inclined position, as shown in Fig. 3.

The inner faces of the followers el zi are iiat, so as to properly engage with the collar z, their outer faces being preferably made curvilinear to engage properly with the keys z3 z3. z5 z5 are set-screws in the upper part of chamber Z Z, engaging with the keys z3 z3. This chamber is provided with a suitable oil-hole, and the collarzis of such size as to insure that it shall reach down into oil rctained in the lower part of the chamber, and thus lubricate the parts.

It will be readily seen that by means of the collar z, the followers 21 zl, the keys z3 z3, and the set-screws, the longitudinal position of the main axle A', the ilange M, and the helicoid or screw K can be accurately adjusted relative to the main frame and the nut-section L L1, and also that any jar, concussion, or strain which may ordinarily be produced upon the main axle will be transferred to and supported by the devices contained within the chamber Z Z'.

For the purpose of seeming together the two parts of which the main frame is composed, I cast bolts al a into the lower section, the bolts extending upwardly through the upper section, as in Fig. 4. a a2 are nuts applied to bolts al al. The lower ends of the bolts may be screw-threaded, or have heads, or made of other shape which will insure their being held rmly by the cast metal.

The construction, operation, and function of the various parts of this machine have been so fully set forth and described herein, when taken in connection with my Patent No. 17 6,402, that no more detailed description need bc given, as I believe that these matters will be fully understood by all who are familiar with the general construction and operation of mowing-machines.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is.

1. The combination, with the bifurcated lever N Nx and trunnions m m, of the bushings u n3, substantially as set forth. Y

2. In a harvester, the combination, with the lever N N and main frame, of a frictionroller to support the front vibrating end of the lever upon the main frame, substantially as set forth.

3. In a harvester, the combination of the iiange M, provided with the arm M', the track b2, and a friction-roller to support the flange against rotary thrust, substantially as set forth.

4. The pivot-pins provided with the lug s', in combination with the slot b4, having the shoulder bii at the lower end, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of the main axle, the main frame adjustable longitudinally thereon, and carrying the xed lever-pivot, with the vibrating lever, substantially as set forth.

6. In a harvester, the tubular part Bl B2 of theframe, provided with the chamber b in combination with the globular ring b x x rollers bx x and bolts or set-screws, seeming the two parts of the chamber together upon the globular ring, substantially as set forth.

7. In a harvester, the main axle A', having a collar rigidly attached thereto between the drivin g-wheels, in combination with the main frame, provided with abutments or shoulders uponwopposite sides of said collar, whereby the desired longitudinal position of the main frame relative to the axle may be maintained, substantially as set forth.

8. Themain frame provided with a chamber, Z Z', having abutments z* z", in combination with the axle A', collar z, followers zl zi, keys z3 z3, and set-screws z5 z5, substantially as set forth.

9. In a harvester, the tubular part B1 Bz of the frame, providedwith the chamber b", adapted to receive the cage of anti-friction rollers and to contain oil, in combination with the ring bX x and rollers bX x x, substantially as set forth.

410. The part L of the nut-section, provided with the expanded flaring part to collect and return the oil, substantially as set forth.

11. The combination, with the mainaxle, of the sleeve L2, provided with the ribs l1 l2, and the part Ll of the nut-section, whereby said sleeve is made to support the one end of the axle upon a driving-wheel, to support the locking devices, and to support and drive the nutsection, substantially as set forth.

l2. The yoke E, made in one piece, in the form of a hook, to extend in rear of the axle and rest upon the sleeve C, in combination with the forked yoke E', for actuating the segment D', and adapted to be removed from the sleeve C without taking off the drivin g-wheel, substantially as set forth.

13. The draft-frame provided with the central rib :1:3 and the lips or ribs x2 x2, one upon each side of rib x3, and of less height, in combination with the seat-spring x and spring x wl, arranged in recesses formed by ribs x2 x3, to permit a rocking lateral motion of the seat, substantially as set forth.

14. The combination of a locking-latch with the 4arm Ul and bracket B3, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WM. FARE GOODWIN.

Witnesses Trios. RANDALL, H. H. DOUBLEDAY. 

